Born In A War
by PasoMaddie
Summary: 'I'm scared.' 'What are you scared about' 'How you're going to react' 'I think I'm…' Tomorrow we leave for erudite and I'm about to go against Tobias to work with Marcus. I'm pregnant with his baby too, my life just keeps getting better.
1. Chapter 1

**Born In A War**

Divergent Fanfiction  
Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

I'm late, my period is over three weeks late. I feel my stomach flip and a wave of nausea flow over me. I stand up and run outside the doors and feel my breakfast make its reappearance. I grimace and stand up, breathing heavily. I see Tobias walk into the lobby of the abandoned Abnegation Headquarters building. His eyes look concerned and then widen as I gag once more.

We've been staying with the factionless for over a month now and each night, we sit down with them and hand tins of food around. About a week after Tobias and I returned here from Erudite and I had confessed my love for him, we made love in his old bedroom. Finally I had faced my seventh fear and earned the title of Six.

And now, I'm standing outside Abnegation Headquarters puking my guys out with Tobias standing behind me, holding my hair back and rubbing my back.

The nausea passes and I stand up slowly. "Are you okay, Tris?" Tobias asks me, concern and worry crossing his face.

I nod, but add, "I need to talk to you about something."

He nods tentatively, worried and unsure of where this is heading. I grab his hand and pass the water fountain where we have cups laying around. I grab one and take a large gulp of water that kind of takes the aftertaste away. Hand in hand, we walk across the sector of Abnegation, towards the house that Tobias had grown up in. I pull him up the stairs and towards his old bedroom. From there I hesitate.

"Tris, you're scaring me. What's wrong?"

I spun around to face him, tears welling up in my eyes. I felt one slide down my cheek. Tobias immediately shut the door behind him and nudged me towards the bed, where we sat side by side, hands clasped together between us. Tobias releases one of my hands and brushes my lone tear away.

I whisper so quietly, that for a second I'm scared he's not going to hear me and ask me to repeat it. "I'm scared." I admit.

I glance down at our hands which are intertwined so tightly. I feel a light pressure on my chin as he lifted my head to make eye contact. "What are you scared about?"

"That you're going to make me repeat what I said." I say, he looks at me, his brow furrowing. "And tomorrow we leave for Erudite, and" I'm scared how you're going to react when you find out I'm working with Marcus, but I don't say that. "And," I try again, "I think I might be pregnant."

He stutters, "W-What?" I feel the tears welling, I can't make myself say it again, I'm going to crack if I do. I begin shaking my head and his arms wrap around me, pulling me tight against him. "I love you, Tris." He says. This was not what I expected. I pull back shocked, waiting for the outburst of anger. He chuckles at my expression. "I'm not angry, Tris, I'm so happy." This surprises me even more and I can't help but lean forward and press my lips against his. He sit there for a while in each other's embraces, letting each other's warm envelope us.

His hand moves down to my flat stomach and I see the corners of his mouth slide up. I smile too, feeling happier than I have in a long time.

"Tobias," I begin. He look at me, waiting for me to continue. "What about tomorrow? What are we going to do?" I lie smoothly, even though guilt shoots through me with every word I say. "I still can't shoot a gun."

His face has gone all serious now, meaningful. "Stay here. I want you to stay behind, I don't want you or the baby getting hurt."

I nod and lean in, so my forehead is flush against his, with our noses slightly touching. "But, I don't want to just sit back doing nothing, I want to be able to help."

"And you have, you've done more than anyone else has done. Just stay behind on this one." I nod, feeling suddenly tired.

He acknowledges us and lowers us both slowly down onto the bed, never letting go of me. Eventually we're lying side by side, arms wrapped around each.

I fall asleep to the beating of his heart.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

I woke several hours later to Tobias shaking me awake. My eyes fluttered open and met his. He smiled down at me and I smiled back. He leaned down to kiss me, his lips brushing softly against mine.

"I thought I'd just come and say goodbye to you before I go."

I sighed, feeling my stomach roll around a few times and feel the nausea set in. I swallowed hard. Tobias watched me with wary eyes. I shook my head, feeling the nausea ease away. "Thank you." I whispered.

He gave me a funny look. "For what?"

I shrugged, picking up one his hands which was gently touching the side of the bed. I laced my fingers with his and brought it up to my lips, kissing each of his knuckles gently. He smiled and sat down, smoothing my hair away from my face. "Just for being you and staying back before you left. I appreciate it."

He smiled once more before his expression turned serious once more, switching onto his Four mode. "You're staying here, right?" He questioned. Once again I lied, nodding my head and feeling the guilt wrap around my heart and squeeze. "Good." I felt tears well up in my eyes. What if something wrong would happen? What if he didn't want to talk to me ever again after he found out? I pushed those thoughts away, thinking I'd just have to take the risk. He brushed my tears away, questioning them. "What's wrong, Tris?"

I shook my head. "I'm just scared that something is going to happen and you won't come back to me." Partly true. A sob goes through my body, clenching my heart in an iron grip. I sat up in the bed, the covers falling around my waist, and flung my arms around his neck, sobbing into his shoulder. He held me tightly, whispering comforting words.

"Shh, Tris, I'm not going to leave you, I promise. I'll always be here, every day." I nodded against him but the tears didn't come to an end.

"Tobias, are you coming?" I heard a voice yell, one that I didn't recognise yet.

Tobias pulled away slightly, to yell back. "Just give me a minute!" He turned back to me, brushing my stray tears away. Then he kissed me deeply. "I have to go now, but I'll see you soon, I promise." Although instead of letting go, I clung to his shirt. Normally I hate showing how weak I am but something inside me just felt like holding on and never letting go. So that was exactly what I did. "Tris," he said softly, trying to pry my fingers from the fabric of his T-shirt. "I promise I'll be back before you miss me." He planted a kiss to my forehead, then to my cheek and my nose, and finally my lips.

I breathed in his scent of mint, savouring it for when he was gone. Reluctantly I let my hands fall to my sides, leaving him to stand. Giving me one last peck on the mouth, he walked swiftly to the door. From there, he stopped and looked back at me. "I love you, Tris."  
Tears were streaming down my face again, I answered him, "I love you too, Tobias. He smiled a short, sad smile and disappeared out of the house.

I sat there for half an hour, staring at the wall. Eventually Christina came up and dragged me down the hallway and outside where Marcus waited impatiently in a pickup truck outside the Abnegation Headquarters.

I wrapped my arms over my torso as we travelled along. Eventually we're in the Erudite Headquarters and gas is filling a corridor. I think I'm going to pass out… this can't be good for the baby… oh no… I see myself at the end of the corridor and it's all I can do not to black out.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

I've made it, made it through the tunnel, beating the other me. I have an arm wrapped protectively around my stomach when I stumble into the room where Johanna and Tori are arguing. I watch as the knife in Tori's hand plunges into the Erudite leader's stomach. I watch as she gurgles on her own blood and die.

I can feel the nausea that's connected with my pregnancy rise but I swallow sharply, pushing it down. The next thing I see is Tobias and Uriah walk inside and spot me.

"Traitor, she's a traitor!" yells Tori, her hands shaking.

I watch as rage fills Tobias' eyes. "You came here with him, didn't you?"

I nod, taking slow steps towards him until my body is almost flush against him. I pick up one of his hands and place it gently onto my stomach that is almost the same it was before I found out I was pregnant. I can see the conflict that appears in his eyes; the gentle, coming effect his hand on my stomach is having; yet the fire that still rages about the thought of me working with the father that he hates fight in the depths of his eyes. I whisper to him, "Yes but not for the reasons that you would think."

The fire has taken control, I can see it in his eyes and the gestures he makes as he takes his hand off my belly and throws it into the air with frustration. "No?" He practically shouts. "Like what?"

I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes, stupid hormones. I can feel a sob caught in my throat. All I can think is I can't lose him, not now, not when not just myself but also when our baby depends on it. His eyes take in the sight of me—with tears that are ready to roll down, the deep red that spreads across my cheeks, the hands that wrap around my stomach protectively. "Like the stuff that's on that computer—and for our baby." I add softly.

At his sides, his hands clench and unclench, he turns to Uriah, "Just take her downstairs."

And with that, I feel Uriah's hand wrap around my arm as he propels me downstairs. I sit in the lobby, aimlessly staring at the tiles. One hand lies pressed against my stomach, hoping that the small child inside of me will give me strength. I don't know what I've done, I don't know what I will do. I can't keep going without Tobias, he is my rock, the one person I will always lean against for support. But without him, I'm afraid I'll crumble.

***PAGE BREAK***

I see black sneakers come towards me and see knees in my line of vision. I feel fingers delicately brush against my cheekbone and when I look up, I meet dark blue eyes. I feel a tear slide down my tear stained face and he instantly wipes it away. He gathers me in his arms and my head falls against his shoulder and sobs once again begin to wrack my body.

He holds me tightly, one hand stroking my hair, soothing me. "Shh, Tris, I'm sorry. You are right, I do know who you are, I just needed to be reminded." I nod against him, feeling my tears coming to a stop.

Suddenly, Johanna stops and screeches, "What is this?" Both Tobias and I glance up and see a screen coming up behind her.

"You did it?" I ask Tobias incredibly.

"You did it." He confirms. "You were right, Tris." I press my lips against his, lacing my arms behind his neck, pressing him against me, until no gaps are between us. We break apart as a voice begins talking.

My voice catches as the woman on the screen says, "Edith Prior." My hand clutches Tobias' and I think it is the only thing keeping me on Earth.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

As soon as the screen goes blank, the place is in commotion, everyone sprinting to people and gathering items and weapons. I feel Tobias' worried eyes on me as he sees my face go pale and then a light shade of green.

I'm going to be sick, I—I run to the garden bed outside the Erudite Headquarters and the sound of Tobias' footsteps behind me oddly comforts me. I stand with one hand supporting me against the pillar outside, bent over, but I realise now that I no longer feel as if my food is going to make reappearance.

I feel Tobias' hand on my arm, gentle and comforting. I turn away from him and sit on the steps with a huff. Only now do I begin to realise how cold it is out here and how stupid it was to only be wearing jeans and a sleeveless top. I feel the shivers that spiral through my body, raising goose bumps along every inch of my body.

"Here," I hear Tobias say quietly as I feel the warmth of his jacket envelope me. He takes a seat beside me and stares at me, weaving one arm around me and pulling me tightly against his body, providing more heat.

"You know now you're going to get cold." I reason with him but I don't take his jacket off, only hug it more tightly to my body.

He chuckles. "Yes, but I'm not the one carrying our baby." I glance up at him, tears forming in my eyes. He places a hand under my chin gently, his thumb reaching to my cheekbone where he softly guides his thumb over the bone. He kisses me lightly on the cheek and holds me to him. He sighs against me. "I love you, Tris." I wish to say it back to him but I'm not sure any words can get past my throat. So to answer him, to express just how much I love him, I kiss him with everything I can muster. Tobias is surprised at first, he hesitates but soon his lips are pressing against mine, equally as passionate. I pull away from and rest my head on his chest.

***PAGE BREAK***

It's been a month since we found about Edith Prior and nobody has known what to do. I've barely seen Tobias, for he, Harrison and Tori have been going to several meetings among the Faction leaders. There have been many discussions about going past the wall, where no one has been brave enough to venture past. But that's the problem, the fear everyone has of what lies ahead is what squishes that idea.

I'm beginning to show and I know people are starting to notice. Its not a huge bump… yet, but its slightly visible.

One night when I'm lying on Tobias' bed in his room, while Tobias is at one of his many meetings, I begin to whisper sweet nothings to my baby; I'm not sure why, it just felt like the right thing to do at the time, probably because I was scared of what the future held.

I roll over onto my back and press one of my hands lightly to the small bulge of my stomach, where my baby grows. "Hey baby, it's your mummy. You know I love you so much, don't you? Yes I do and I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect you, I promise you. And your daddy, I'm going to keep him safe too." I begin to think. "I hope you are just like him, I hope you have his eyes, his smile, his strength…"

"I hope our baby looks just like you." A voice speaks from the entrance of the room. I start and sit up quickly and see Tobias standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He smirks and walks towards me, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside me. He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"How long were you standing there for?" I ask him, lacing our fingers together.

He looks down at our hands and then back up at my face. "Oh, not long. Just long enough to hear the protecting part and how much you want our baby to be like me."

"Oh," is all I say and slump against him tiredly.

He chuckles. "Why don't you get some sleep?" he suggests and I nod against his chest. Raising his arms above his head, he slides his shirt off, unbuckles his belt and unties his shoes. I'm already under the covers when he finally wraps me in his arms.

"Tobias?" I question quietly, turning so my back is pressed against his chest.

In the darkness I hear Tobias murmur, "Mm?"

His hands flatten against my stomach and I place mine on top of his, curling my fingers with his. "You're not going to leave sometime tonight, are you?" I ask quietly.

"Why would I have to?"

I shrug, "A meeting or something…"

I roll towards Tobias, facing him. He raises one of his hands and places it along my cheek. "No, I don't."

"And you'll be here when I wake up?" My arms move to circle around his waist. I pull myself closer to him and feel his lips press against my forehead.

"Yes," is all he whispers. My eyes flutter closed and that is how I fall asleep; with his warm lips against my skin and my arms around his torso.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

As soon as I wake, I'm aware of the side where Tobias was, is empty. I sigh and stumble out of bed, pulling the long sleeves of my shirt down and over my hands. I hear voices and the opening and closing of cupboard doors.

I see Tobias stuffing a backpack with food and water bottles, his back turned to me as I enter into the kitchen. I cross my arms over my chest and walk slowly to him. I'm aware of Uriah and Christina's stares on my back, their gazes going to my stomach. They're becoming curious and I still haven't spilled a word about my pregnancy to them yet. I'm not entirely sure why, probably because I'm not ready for the whole world to know that I did the deed.

I'm standing right behind Tobias when he suddenly turns around to gather more equipment. I see him jump slightly and my hands fly to his chest, where his heart pounds underneath my fingertips.

"Tris," he breathes. I wrap my arms around his middle and press my face into his chest, breathing in his scent. His arms automatically circle around me, one hand brushing my hair back. He rests his chin on the crown of my head.

I pull back slightly to look at him in the eye. "You were gone." My voice comes out in a whisper, so quiet that I'm not sure if he heard me.

Although as he sighs and brushes his lips against mine, I know he did. "I know and I'm sorry. They've finally made a decision on what we are to do. They woke me up to tell me and I had to get ready." From the look on his face, I know it can't be good; I wait for him to continue. He does, "A group of us are going to venture past the fence, we're going to see if there is any life past it." I gasp. "I'm one person of the group that has been chosen to go, they suggested you as well but I would prefer if you stayed behind because of you know."

My hands drop to my sides as I step back. He looks at me with such sadness. I clutch his hand and pull him behind me, up the stairs and into his bedroom. Behind us, I close the door. "You're not seriously, are you?" I demand.

He looks at me, confusion evident on his face. "Not what?"

I look at him incredulously. "Really? You were really going to ask me to stay behind when you go out there? I wouldn't be able to stay here, knowing that you could be in danger… especially not now."

He guides me over to the bed, where we sit side beside, his eyes intense on my face. "Exactly." He says. "Especially not right now, that's why I can't let you go. You're in charge of more than just your own life now, Tris, you have our baby to think about now too."

I lean forward before he can see my tears and wrap my arms behind his head, drawing him close to me. He hugs me back. "Tobias…" I whisper softly. He squeezes me gently as I bury my face into the crook of his neck, my lips gently brushing the skin where his neck runs into his shoulder. "Please let me go with you, I love you." I pull back and mentally hit myself for not noticing how everything is affecting him. He has dark circles underneath his eyes and I can see the weariness that is etched on his face. I reach up and brush my finger along the dark colouring beneath his eyes. His eyes flutter closed at my touch. "I'm so sorry, Tobias."

His eyes fly open at this and his gaze softens. "Oh, Tris. I'm never going to win this fight with you, am I?"

I giggled and sighed. "No." I looked at his face again, my eyes drinking in every detail of him. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

He shrugged, his eyes fluttering closed against I leaned against his chest. "I don't know, I stayed awake for a little bit… watching you sleep, thinking about the baby and then my mother Tori came in to tell me. I don't think I actually got any."

I pulled back and frowned at him but before I could get in another word, there was a knock on his bedroom door.

He glanced at me before calling out, "Come in."

Tobias' mother, Evelyn poked her head in and smiled. "Oh, Tobias." She said as if relieved to see her son.

Tobias turned to me and whispered into my ear, "Can we tell her?" I gazed at him worriedly, he took my hand in his as I nodded my head slowly.

He turned back to his mother, who stood there with an eyebrow raised. "Mum," he began tentatively. "Tris and I have some news to tell you."

Her eyebrow raised higher, if that was possible. "Oh?" was all she said.

I felt the colour leave my face, my hand going clammy in Tobias' and my beginning to shake. I didn't want anyone to know, but soon after they were going to find out; it would become more obvious as my stomach grew larger. Tobias seemed to notice the fear that coursing through my veins because he swapped the hand that was encased in mine for the other one, squeezed in reassuringly and wrapped his free arm around me, pulling me closer to him. "Tris and I are going to have a baby."

She seemed to stutter at that, her gaze leaving Tobias' face to look at mine and then lastly my stomach. On instinct, I allowed one of my hands to wrap around my middle protectively. "You what?"

"Tris is pregnant, we're having a baby." Tobias repeated slowly. I looked up to his face, my expression hesitant. He peered back at me, his expression filled with pride and love. He lowered his face, allowing his lips to brush mine softly. I pulled away first, not wanting Evelyn, the mother of Tobias to watch us kissing.

"Right, well, I'm assuming then that Tobias has asked you to stay behind?"

Tobias chuckled. "Not exactly; I suggested it, but she insists on coming." He sighed to himself and whispered under his breath so only I could hear, "So stubborn." He reached up and tucked some hair behind my ear. "I should continue packing; I have to pack for two extra people now."

Evelyn simply nodded and retreated to her own room.

"Tobias…" He pulled away from me to gaze at me. "How long do you think we'll be out there for?"

"I'm not sure, Tris…"

I placed a hand over my belly. "Weeks? Months?" I looked away from him, tears springing to my eyes.

"Tris…" He began softly, hooking a finger beneath my chin, forcing me to look at him. "Are you afraid that the baby will come while we're out there? Is that what you're scared about?" A tear escaped as I nodded. "Oh, Tris." He whispered as he pulled me into a hug. "You know I'll be right beside you, no matter what. If our baby decides to come while we're in the middle of nowhere, I'll be right there and so will other people… my mother, Tori… people you can trust."

I just nodded and pulled away, brushing the tears on my face away. "We should get packing." I stood up and turned to face him. "I can get some clothes together and you can continue with the food if you want?"

I began to pick out some clothes before I realised that my stomach is going to grow. I whirled around and saw that Tobias was still sitting there, watching me with worry evident on his face. "Tris…"

"What am I going to do?" I questioned, laying my hands against my stomach. Already my clothes were getting tight. He looked at me confused. "Soon my clothes aren't going to fit, my clothes are already getting tight! I don't have any other things…"

Understanding bloomed on his face. "We can get you new ones, we can get you more." My hand came to my forehead, brushing my hair away, holding it back.

I just nodded aimlessly, staring off into the distance. "Are you going to get the food ready?" I snapped, instantly regretting it. Tobias' face went expressionless as he stood and began to walk away and down the stairs. "Tobias!" I called, running to catch up, clasping his left arm and tugging him back. "Tobias, I'm so sorry." I was in tears again—typical. These hormones were really messing with me. When he turned around, his expression instantly softened at the sight of my tear stained cheeks. "I don't know why I snapped at you like that, I'm so, so sorry. You forgive me, right?"

His hands fell to his sides in surrender. He caressed my face in both of his big, warm hands and smiled at me. "I'll always forgive you, Tris."


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

"Here, let me take that, Tris." Tobias offered me, taking the backpack off of my shoulders.

I roll my eyes at him. "Tobias, I'm able to carry it, it's only got a few pieces of clothes."

He placed it on the floor and sifted through it, "I just don't want you to exert yourself." He picked out a blanket and looked at me expectantly.

"You know me, Tobias, I get cold easily. I also need to keep warm for the baby."

He chuckled and nodded in agreement, placing it back inside the bag. "Have you got enough stuff in here? You have a fair few blankets in here, I don't think you'll need this many."

I twisted my fingers together in front of me. "I'm just becoming prepared, in case of you know… in case the baby comes while we're out there."

"Tris, I don't think we will be gone long enough for that." I could hear the unspoken words between us, hopefully not.

A gasp could be heard from behind us; Tobias stood up and peered over my shoulder, while I spun around. Christina and Uriah stood behind us, mouths agape. "Tris? Is there something you haven't told us yet?"

My face went pale. "I—uh… I—" I felt Tobias' hand slip into mine, a comforting feeling. "Yes." I finally managed out. "I'm pregnant."

Christina seemed to be jumping up and down on the spot. Suddenly she threw herself at me and I stumbled back. Tobias' hand almost slipped from mine but I clutched at it tighter, desperate to not let go. "Oh, I knew it!" She exclaimed.

"Congratulations." Uriah said, smiling at me.

Christina pulled away and glanced at my stomach and then the hand that was still attached to Tobias. "Yes, congratulations! So you have to give us details! How far along are you? Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Woah, woah, I'm about four months along and I don't know."

She smiled, satisfied that she finally knew my secret. "I knew you weren't just putting on weight, I knew there was something else to it." She kept telling herself.

***PAGE BREAK***

A group of us stood in front of the fence, ready to venture out into the unknown. It turned out that Uriah and Christina weren't coming along so even if I had decided to stay, I would have had company from my friends; although I was happy with my decision where Tobias was. He insisted on carrying both of the bags, despite my protests.

As soon as the gates were open, we all began to walk forward. Beyond the fence it was bare, almost everything was dying. Trees were brown and dry, the ground was cracked and hot. How something could live around here, I wasn't sure.

I glanced at Tobias to see him looking around anxiously, as if expecting at any moment, danger was going to appear. I clasped his free hand and squeezed it softly; he glimpsed at me and smiled.

"What do you think we're going to find out here, Tobias?" I asked him.

"I'm really not sure but hopefully something that will help sort this mess out." I nodded.

We continued walking for what seemed like hours. My feet and back were beginning to ache and sweat was appearing all over my body, making my stomach churn.

I didn't like to make a fuss or complain but right now I needed a break. "Tobias, I think I need to stop for a little bit." I panted out. He peered at me anxiously and called out for the others to stop. They all agreed that now was a good time to rest. I immediately stopped and dropped to the ground.

Tobias kneeled in front of me, his eyes taking in my pale face, the sweat that beaded across my forehead and the short breaths that were coming out in small bursts. He placed a hand on my knee. "Are you ok?"

I nodded and swallowed suddenly, feeling the rise of bile in the back of my throat. "I think I'm going to be sick."

I don't know how but somehow I managed to get to my feet and run a distance away to be sick. My breathing came short and sparse. Tobias stood behind me, holding my hair back and rubbing my back. I stood up and slumped back against him. Suddenly my feet were no longer touching the ground but I was in Tobias' arms.

I protested weakly but he just ignored them. Vaguely I was aware of Evelyn's voice speaking with Tobias. "Is she alright?" She asked.

With my head against his chest, his voice rumbled against my ear. "She's exhausted—and pregnant." He sighed. "I knew this would be a bad idea letting her come."

"Then why did you?"

"Because she's Tris, even if I had of said no, she would have found a way to come. She's scared that if we're out here for months, long enough until she's heavily pregnant, the baby will come while we're out here. I fear that too. Also I think she fears that if we were out here for that amount of time and she was left back in Abnegation, she would be scared of having to do it alone—without me."

There was a moment of silence before Evelyn's voice said, "I'll see about setting camp up here for the night."

"Thank you."

***PAGE BREAK***

"Tris, Tris, wake up." I don't know when I fell asleep but it didn't feel like long. My whole body was aching and exhaustion weighed heavily on me. I felt Tobias' hand caress my cheek lightly. I sighed but didn't open my eyes. He chuckled. "Come on, Tris, I know you're awake." Reluctantly I opened my eyes and peered groggily at Tobias who kneeled beside me. I looked up and found that I was lying in a tent on one of the blankets I had packed. "I'm sorry I had to wake you, but I thought you might want something to eat."

I shook my head and rolled onto my other side. He chuckled once more. "Tris, you haven't eaten much today, you have to eat—if not for yourself, for the baby." I rolled to face him, peering up at his face, into his dark blue eyes.

I raised one of my hands for him to help me up. He took it and hauled me up. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he supported my weight as we walked out to where the rest of the group were passing around cans of food.

As soon as I sit on the ground beside Tobias, a can full of peas was handed to me. I took it and ate a spoonful of it; but as I went to hand it to the boy sitting beside me, Tobias, he nudged me and whispered into my ear, "Eat some more, you need it." I smiled up at Tobias and did as he had told me to. I let him take the can off of me and I accepted the next can which was filled with scrambled eggs.

I gasped as I felt an odd flutter in my stomach. From the corner of my eye I saw Tobias turn my way, concern evident on his face.

***PAGE BREAK***

That night Tobias and I lay on the blanket beside each other. I shivered and instantly he drew me closer to his side, enveloping me in his warmth. I reached out for one of his hands and he clasped mine in his. I moved our hands to the spot on my belly, where only a few moments ago I had felt that flutter again.

The flutter had continued throughout dinner and slowly as they persisted I realised that they were a good thing; that the baby was simply moving in my belly.

It came again, right under the spot where Tobias' and my hand were pressed. I heard Tobias gasp in the darkness. "What was that?" he whispered incredibly.

"The baby." I told him back. "He's been moving all night?"

I felt his lips touch my forehead lovingly. "He?"

I shrugged against him. "You know? Mother's intuition… I just have this feeling that it's a boy."

"Hmm…" is all he said on a sigh.

"Good night, Tobias." I whispered as I moved my head onto his chest.

He kissed my hair before whispering good night back to me.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

We've been walking for two weeks and still no life has been found. I'm also now five months pregnant and the baby now moves more often. Walking has become a lot easier, probably because I tend to just zone out and day dream about all the happy scenarios I wish life would be right now.

"_Tris?" I sat in the lounge room of our new house, my stomach bulging as I was eight months pregnant, when Tobias called out after he had come home from work. As he rounded the corner and into the family room, he smiled that smile that he showed me every time he saw me each afternoon. "How are my two favourite girls doing?" he questioned, kneeling before me and placing his hands on either side of my belly. _

_I rolled my eyes at him. "Tobias, I told you already—I think it's going to be a boy, not a girl." _

_He chuckled as the baby kicked at where one of his hands lay. "Mmm, I know but when have I ever been wrong?"_

_I opened my mouth to reply—_

—"Look over there!" Someone yelled, breaking me out of my fantasies.

My head snapped in the direction where they were pointing to. Tobias took my hand in his and together we began running with the group. He kept his pace at mine, never wanting to leave me alone. I stopped running suddenly when a sharp kick from the baby went to my ribs.

Tobias felt the tug on his hand and immediately he came to halt as well, gazing at my face and my stomach worriedly. "Tris, what's wrong?"

I shook my head, smiling stupidly at the ground and then finally I raised my faze to Tobias. "Nothing, nothing, it's just the baby—"

Tobias' eyes seemed to widen to the size of saucers. He closed the small distance between us and placed his hands on my stomach. "Oh, no, it isn't time, is it?"

Now my eyes widened to match his. "What? No!" I giggled and soon the titters were shaking my body hysterically.

"Tris?" Tobias questioned softly, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes slightly. He started to laugh with me and soon we were both in tears.

I stopped laughing as another kick was sent to my side. Once again Tobias pulled on his concerned mask. "He's just kicking, Tobias."

He smiled at me and then offered his arms to me. "C'mere." He whispered and drew me into his arms.

After a moment of just standing there in each other's arms, I pulled away and stared off to where the others had roamed to. "We should go after them." He nodded unwillingly.

***PAGE BREAK***

"Where is everyone?" I asked Tobias as we came out of a house that had been long abandoned.

The boy beside me only shook his head. "I don't know but we should keep searching." I only nodded.

We continued wandering for what felt like almost an hour before we finally caught sight of a small group of people. I let go of a breath I hadn't realised I was holding.

We hurried over to the group where they seemed to have stopped for lunch. Tobias meandered over to his mother who seemed to be talking to Edward, who was wearing the eye patch with the painted on eye.

I sat down in the dirt and began to rub my stomach, feeling it calm the baby which continuously squirmed. My back and my feet ached, my ankles were swollen—I was already beginning to hate pregnancy.

After a few moments of sitting alone, Tobias walks over and sits beside me. He begins taking out some of the food that he packed and doesn't say a word to me.

"Tobias?" I question. "What's going on?" He stops rummaging through the bag and looks at the ground and then at his hands and then at my hands, avoiding my gaze. I reach out to him, but he withdraws away from me. "Tobias, tell me, please."

"They, um," he clears his throat. "It's all abandoned. There's nothing or no one here."

"Tobias…" I begin but he cuts me off when he takes my hand in his and presses a finger to my lips.

"No, no, don't talk." He said softly, "Just let me say something to you… Tris—I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have dragged you into this… even when you wouldn't take my no for an answer, I shouldn't have taken your no for an answer." Once again I opened my mouth to protest but still he continued to press on, ignoring my attempts of objections. "I can see how all of this walking is taking its toll on you and I know in four months, the baby will be here… And I—"

I pressed my mouth to his, stopping all of the guilt that he had stored up from flowing out. I pulled away first. "Tobias, stop. Its ok, it's all ok. I'm with you, which are all that matters to me right now. I don't care if we're in the middle of nowhere and we're having a little bit of bad luck. I believe that things should go downhill a little before they begin to get back on track." I watched as Tobias sighed and smiled sadly at me. "Everything will all turn around soon, I'm sure of it."

He smirked mischievously; trying to hide the sadness that I knew lurked behind it. "Since when did you become so wise?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, ha-ha, very funny." I gazed at him, into his dark blue eyes as he gazed back at my blue ones. "I love you, Tobias." I whispered.

He smiled at me, drawing in to plant a kiss upon my lips. "I love you too." Tobias whispered against my lips.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Another month has past and we're just wondering aimlessly. Several times I have offered to carry one of the bags; however Tobias refuses because I am now six months pregnant. It's no longer a secret that I am anymore; everyone seems to know by the size of my stomach.

One night I'm lying in bed, my back facing Tobias. He fell asleep long ago, thinking that I had as well. I would have, had it not been for the baby's kicks and it's squirming. I begin to rub my stomach, hoping that it will calm both myself and the baby.

Suddenly I need to pee as well—again. I shift uncomfortably, sitting up. The torch lies beside me and so does everything else that I may need during the night. The thought of having to somehow get up on my own, almost has me trying to go to sleep but I'm not sure if I can last much longer without going. I glance over at Tobias, considering waking him up although he's been so tired, so I decide to let him sleep. Pressing one of my hands behind my back, I try pushing up my spine and using all of the strength of my legs to get up. About two weeks ago I discovered that it was getting harder and harder to stand up on my own without the help of Tobias or someone else.

Somehow I manage and I'm waddling out of the tent into the darkness. I'm wandering back when I notice a small light off into the distance. Stupidly enough, I start walking in that direction. When I'm slightly closer, I notice there is more than one light, spread out a small distance. As fast as my pregnant body can take me, I'm walking back towards out camp sight.

"Tobias." I whisper as I get to our tent and wrench the flaps open.

He jumps awake, looks to his left where I would normally be lying and then up towards the tent entrance. "Tris?" He asks warily.

"Come out here, you have to see something!" I say impatiently.

He frowned slightly, but still he followed me out into the moonlight, rubbing his eyes. "Tris—what—" He cut off as he looked in the direction to where I was pointing. "Is that—"

I nodded smiling. He encircled me in his arms and began kissing me—along my collarbone, my neck, my cheeks, my forehead and lastly my lips. "Oh, Tris, we can go home soon. We've found them." He thought for a second, looking out to the distance where the light burned like a shooting star. "We should tell the others."

I nodded, laying my head against his chest. "In the morning, though?"

He chuckled against me, the sound reverberating from his chest. "Of course."

***PAGE BREAK***

I woke to the first rays of light hitting the tent. I shivered and realised that Tobias' side was empty. I sat up and glanced around the tent. Everything was as it always was—neat and tidy. I heard footsteps coming towards the tent and suddenly Tobias was standing before me.

"Ah, so you're awake." He whispered.

I nodded and held my hands up to him. He chuckled and helped haul me up.

He sat beside me as the group passed the aluminium cans around, each taking a mouthful of each—or in my case, two of some. "Have you told them yet?" I asked the boy beside me, who kept urging me to eat more food.

He nodded. "Yeah, we're setting off after we've packed up." He stared at me, the corners of his mouth turning down into a frown. "How much sleep did you get?" He inquired, running his thumb beneath my eyes where dark circles must have been.

I shrugged. "Not much—the baby kept me up, he kept kicking and wriggling." I said, rubbing my swollen belly. As if on cue, the baby kicked and I inhaled sharply. I noticed some of the people around the group; including Tobias' mother, turn their heads in my direction but seemed to go back to their conversations after a matter of seconds.

"You should have woken me." Tobias chided me gently.

I scoffed. "And what? Have you tired too? No." I shook my head.

"Tris…" he begins, but I cut him off by beginning to talk to Tori who sits on my other side.

***PAGE BREAK***

Stares. So many stares. Everyone in the town was staring at us like we were aliens, when we appeared on the edge of it and began to walk through it. Everyone's eyes seemed to be on me mostly—me, the pregnant girl who has walked for months.

A lady who looks just over middle aged stands among the crowd. She takes a step forward and so does Evelyn. They begin talking and soon all of the stares leave us as the residents of the suburb begin to go back to their own lives.

"Wait, Mum," Tobias says. I've never heard him refer to Evelyn as 'Mum' but it seems comfortable coming from his lips. She turns away, apologising to the woman, an eyebrow raised irritably. "Let Tris talk to her."

"Oh, no, please no, Tobias." I whisper.

He stops me. "Tris, you're surname is Prior. I think that gives a few odds in our favour."

True, I think. I take his hand in mine. "Only if you're beside me."

"Of course." He whispers into my ear.

Hand in hand, he walks beside me, while I waddle over to the woman who seems like a leader for this small colony. I outstretch my hand. "Hi, I'm Tris Prior."

She takes my hand in hers and gives it a light shake. "Edith Prior." She responds. My mouth gapes open and I can't help but wonder if she is related to me in any way. "Oh," she looks down at my belly. "It seems like you are expecting." Her gaze transfers to Tobias who stands beside me. "And are you the father?"

He nods, his posture and formality going to his old "Four" manners. "Yes, ma'am, I am. I am Tobias Eaton."

"Oh, please, call me Edith." Tobias nods once more. She looks to Evelyn. "I'm guessing you have found the video that I made years ago; you have seen what I had to say?"

"Yes, we all have. Tris here, found it on Jeanine, the old leader of Erudite's computer."

"Ah, smart girl. Why don't you and the rest of your group come into my home, from there we can talk."


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

The woman's home was made out of wood and mud but appeared to be comfortable. There were beds that looked to be handmade with blankets that too appeared to be hand woven. On a small table was a woven bowl, full of ripe fruit and vegetables. A few handmade chairs were placed around the table, the sunlight just hitting them from where the sun filtered through the windows that were cut out from the walls.

"Tris, why don't you sit down?" Tobias suggested. I wanted to say that I could stand, but my feet and back ached and my pregnant belly protested against it. Obligingly, I took a seat in one of the chairs at the table. I heard it squeak under my weight but it didn't collapse.

"So, do you understand the full idea of my hope for peace; a way to make us all equal?" Edith Prior began as she took a seat beside me.

Tobias was standing behind me when he placed his hands upon my shoulders and began to rub them. I almost breathed a sigh of contentment aloud as I sunk into his touch, but quickly stifled it. He began to talk from behind me, "Yes, we do." Edith slitted her eyes narrowly, assessing Tobias. "Jeanine, the leader of Erudite, was killed because she didn't want this to happen; but now we can be able to make this world a better place, make everyone equal; make our world a democracy or even lead it towards communism."

"Hmm, yes, I was leading it towards a communism—where everyone is equal in every way. By doing this we have to travel back towards the city and have everyone join in, otherwise this will never work if we don't all pitch in to make this work." I shifted in my chair as the baby squirmed in my stomach. Tobias' hands stopped massaging my shoulders and I glanced up at him pleadingly. At first he seemed confused by my look of plea, but soon he realised and his hands continued to rub at the ever seeming knots in my shoulders.

Evelyn looked at her son questioningly and he nodded at her. I didn't know what they were communicating silently between each other but whatever it was; I knew they had different plans to Edith.

"Well, actually," Evelyn began. "We were thinking that it would be better if we helped make this city more of a democracy. That way everyone has equal rights and choices but they have the freedom that they need, rather than having less freedom which is included in communism."

She thought for a second. "I suppose that could work. Freedom, yes..." Her eyes lit up. "Yes, that sounds good, not being so restricted to so little things, being able to do things you never could have done…" She was getting that dreamy look people got when they were imagining scenarios that could very well never happen. "So, what's the plan?" She began, hope blooming across her face.

And so it began; the first beginnings of a democracy world, where everyone had equal rights. It was the day where everything from that day on would change—for the better hopefully.

***PAGE BREAK***

"Are we all ready?" Edith Prior asked everyone.

We've been staying within the village for the past two weeks, thinking up strategies and for my sake; resting because I'm beginning to notice that at seven months pregnant, walking to the bathroom and back even has me exhausted. However despite the amount of rest they have been allowing me, I'm still drained because the baby inside me continuously keeps me up at night. I can tell Tobias notices how tired I am, so he keeps persisting for us to rest another night here.

One night while we were lying in our tent, I turned to Tobias. He looked half asleep and I didn't want to bother him but he must have felt my stare on him.

"What's up?" he asked me.

Instead of answering, I just clutched his hand in mine and pulled it over to my stomach. A few moments later, I felt the baby begin to calm down. I sighed in relief. "Thank you." I murmured.

Over the past few nights I had begun to realise that the touch of Tobias against my stomach, almost immediately had the baby settled.

And then we were standing in Edith's kitchen, about to venture back out into the desert like place. Our whole group from back in the city were all travelling back, along with Edith Prior and a few of her most trustworthy people. Despite Tobias' resistance on leaving me behind, he was at the front beside Edith and his mother; while I was at the very back of the group with one of Edith's people, Thom.

He doesn't complain about my slow pace, he just keeps in pace beside me, occasionally glancing at my face to see how I'm doing. I hate appearing this weak, how people can take one look at me and notice how I'm feeling at that moment. Although I guess it's a good thing because people can assess my health which affects the baby.

Tobias eventually returns and Thom is released from his duty of assisting me. Tobias takes one look at me and automatically knows that I need a break. He calls out to the others and they all stop for lunch and some water.

"Here, drink some of this, Tris." He gently commands as I sit down in the dirt. I take the bottle of water he has offered to me and take two sips of it before handing it back to him. He began to take some fruit out that Edith so generously gave us. I groaned softly as I saw my feet and ankles—that were swollen to the sizes of tomatoes.

Tobias glanced up worriedly but chuckled as he followed my line of vision. He handed me an apricot and then moved his fingers to my ankles and began to rub them soothingly. I groaned softly under my breath in pleasure and Tobias chuckled once more.

"Eat." He said to me. I took a bite, following his gentle instructions.

"You should eat too, you know? You don't have to rub my feet—you need to eat, who knows when our next stop will be."

He rolled his eyes at me, I smiled. "I'm fine, Tris and knowing how we've been going so far, we'll be stopping again soon." Nevertheless he stopped rubbing my swollen and sore ankles and began to eat an apricot.

I looked down at the fruit that I had nearly finished. "I'm sorry Tobias." He looked at me confused. "I'm making this harder for everyone; I'm making us take longer. You were right; I should have just stayed behind—that way you could have moved faster, travelled more distance. Instead I only considered myself, only considered my own wishes of wanting to stay with you."

Tobias looked at me incredulously. "Tris, you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad you came, so glad. If you hadn't have come, I still would have been worrying about you every moment that we were apart. I'm glad that I have your company and that I can see our baby grow within your stomach. And anyway, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have found Edith so fast and wouldn't have been able to win her over so easily. So Tris, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."

I shuffled slowly towards him, my stomach making it almost impossible to move an inch; although somehow I managed and was sitting with my back towards Tobias. He wrapped his free arm around me and pushed my shoulder back slightly so that I was leaning against him. Leaning my head back, I rested it against his shoulder.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

We've been walking in the same direction for the past two weeks. Everything is taking longer because of me. They seem to think that if we didn't stop so much we might be almost home but because of the ever many breaks, we're still quite a distance off; and now at seven months and a half pregnant, many breaks are needed.

"Tobias, can you please help me up?" I asked him tiredly, stretching my arms up towards him. We've just taken yet another rest from walking and had some water; and now we're ready to set off again. It's sometime in the late afternoon, which means the next time we stop will be for the night.

We began to walk in the same direction for about another hour. As we neared the area where we planned to rest for the night, I got a sharp tightening feeling in my lower abdomen. I gasped and clutched my stomach. I immediately stopped walking and Tobias paused with me, feeling the tug on his hand. His eyes instantly filled with concern.

"Tris, what's wrong?" he questioned, coming back to me and placing a hand against my stomach. From behind Tobias I saw Thom glance back at us and then called for the others to stop.

As soon as the tightening feeling had come, the sooner it went. "Nothing, it was just a cramp." I reply, rubbing my belly. I sigh in relief as I feel the baby begin to move again.

"Are you sure?"

Before I can reassure him, Edith has wandered over to us. "Is anything wrong?"

"Tris says she's getting cramps…" Tobias sighed, rubbing his eyes. I felt sorry for him; he had been up many nights with me when I couldn't sleep and was also getting stressed as the months that led up to my nine month deadline came closer.

Edith crossed her arms across her chest, studying my swollen belly. "What did these cramps feel like?"

"Like a tightening in my lower abdomen." I said as I moved my hand to the underside of my round stomach.

She nodded, understanding blooming across her face. "They're Braxton Hicks contractions."

Tobias seemed to splutter. "I'm sorry but what?"

Edith shrugged simply, completely relaxed. "Braxton Hicks contractions—they're nothing to be worried about, they're simply just a preparation the uterus does every so often, keeping itself good so it is ready for when you really go into labour." It felt like a burden had been lifted off of my shoulders and now I could finally relax. "You should get some rest though, you look exhausted. We'll be stopping just up there for the night." I nodded.

As we closed the distance between ourselves and the camp that the rest of the group had begun to set up, I began to wonder. "Edith, how much further do you think we have to go; how much longer?"

She thought for a second, looking out into the distance. "It's hard to say but at the pace we're going at about now, I'd say we have about another month ahead of us." I slumped against Tobias and he slipped his arm around my waist, supporting me from behind.

By the time we had gotten back to the camp site, I was far from exhausted. I felt like my feet wouldn't hold me much longer if I stood for another minute. Tobias began to set up our tent and every time I offered to help, he would refuse and tell me to just sit there and rest. That was easy to do.

That night, we all sat around a campfire and passed around the cans of food as to tradition. Edith and her people had begun to become accustomed to the way the Factionless ate. It had been an hour since I had had the Braxton Hicks contraction and nothing else had come again—apart from the baby's sharp kicks. I was the first to go to bed, then Tobias and then everyone seemed to just go as they liked.

"Tobias?" I whispered as he crawled into the tent and removed his shoes.

"Yes, Tris?" He removed his belt and crept up towards me.

"Could you please get one of the spare blankets for me?"

He nodded and turned towards our bags which were by the door of the tent. Rummaging through them, he heaved a blue one out and spread it over me. He lied underneath it with me, wrapping me in his warm arms. "Are you cold?" He murmured into my ear. I nodded and with some difficulty rolled onto my other side so that my back was facing him. He kissed the back of my neck and whispered, "Good night, Tris."

"Good night."

***PAGE BREAK***

It's still the same night and I've barely slept. The baby just continues to kick me in the ribs and now I have no reason not to believe it's a boy because he seems very content to play soccer in my stomach, and my ribs are the goal posts. Tobias fell asleep long ago and I can't blame him. If I could, I would have as well.

Another blow to my abdomen came and I inhaled sharply at the brief discomfort. I felt Tobias stir behind me, but he didn't seem to wake up. However I lied as still as I could, just in case he was awake.

"Ah!" I grunted as another powerful kick came to my ribs. I felt Tobias stir behind me again and slapped my hand to my mouth.

"Tris?" he mumbled, still half asleep. I rolled in his direction and he shifted a little to make room for my big stomach. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, he's just playing soccer—and kicking me in the process."

"Mmm…" he murmured, placing his palm against my stomach. The baby kicked lightly at his hand and I giggled.

"He knows who you are." I rested one of my hands above his, while the other rubbed my belly soothingly.

"Mmm—" he paused for a second, thinking. "How many weeks along are you again?" He asked sleepily.

I answered straight away. "Seven months and a half, which is thirty weeks along." He sighed and I knew he was thinking what I was thinking: I'm getting closer to my due date and we're still out in the middle of nowhere.

"Tobias, Edith said that we have about another month to go and I'm not due in a month, close to a month but not in a month."

His eyes seemed more awake and his mouth was set in a frown. "Exactly, Tris." Tobias' voice came out as only a whisper, as if he was defeated. "Exactly… you're close to a month. We don't know for sure how long we're going to be out here for; we could take longer than a month…" He removed his hand from under mine and began to rub at his eyes.

The boy beside me began to turn away from me but I reached out and laid a hand on his bicep to prevent him. "Please… don't…" I begged for him not to turn away from me. He looked at me with such sadness that I burst into tears.

"Oh, Tris, no, I'm sorry…" he soothed, trying his best to bundle me in his arms with my swollen belly. "Don't cry, shh… I didn't mean to upset you…"

Eventually, after what felt like hours, my tears came to a stop and I was left with hiccups. "I'm sorry, it's just my hormones. I just, I feel kind of vulnerable at the moment. Everyone knows how I'm going; if I'm tired or thirsty, by just taking one look at me. I hate it."

Tobias twisted to face me again and he ran a finger across my cheekbone. "But Tris, that's a good thing. It means we can keep an eye on you because you're seven months pregnant."

I sighed, "I know—"

He must have felt me tense beside him because he began to question me urgently. "Tris? Tris, what's wrong?"

In the darkness I smiled sheepishly, even though he couldn't see it. "I just—really need to pee." I began to sit up, my fingers fumbling around in the darkness for the torch.

He chuckled softly. "Do you want me to come with you?"

I shook my head. "No but you may have to help me with standing up…" In a moment I was up on my feet and wandering off into the darkness of the night with only the stars', the moon's and my torch's light to guide me; and Tobias was probably going back to sleep within our tent.

As I was heading back I heard a shuffling of leaves and then a loud growl as something large and black slunk out from behind a couple of bushes. Never before had I felt so helpless than this moment when I had no weapons on me and I was heavily pregnant.

I inhaled sharply before crying out, "Tobias!"


	11. Chapter 11

"Tobias!"

There was a chorus of cursing and shuffling from within tents before everyone in our group bursted out and came around to join me, including Tobias half-dressed and a gun in his hands. The panther like creature had disappeared with all of the commotion, which left me looking stupid and crazy.

"What is it, Tris?" He asked me warily, putting a hand on my shoulder. "What did you see?"

I turned and buried my face into his chest as the tears began to fall. His arms automatically spiralled around me, holding me to him the best that he can with my big baby bump. "It was like a big wild cat, big and black…" I choked out.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's gone now." I heard him switch his gun from one hand to the other and felt his free hand caress my hair. He started turning us around and heading back in the direction of our tent as he said, "Come on, let's get you back to bed."

I pulled back from him and looked him in the eyes. "You don't believe me, do you?"

He spluttered for a second. "What? Of course I do."

"No, you don't. None of you did." I pushed him away and he fell of balance slightly. As fast as I could, I waddled off back to the tent.

***PAGE BREAK***

I barely slept that night; Tobias tried talking to me a few times except I ignored him, just smelling the blanket that smelled like him. In the morning I still continued to disregard him. We continued to walk and because I wasn't paying any attention to Tobias we stopped less. By the time night had fallen, Tobias was looking pretty miserable.

I sat on the opposite side to him through dinner and when I stood up, he caught at my arm. "Tris, wait, can I talk to you for a minute?"

I shrugged. "Whatever." He followed behind me into the tent and watched silently as I took off my shoes and slid under the blanket, my stomach like a mountain under the blanket. "Well?" I questioned, waiting.

"Tris, I'm so sorry; I didn't believe you, nobody else did until they found some animal tracks in the dirt. They followed them and it did indeed lead them to a wild cat which was black. They shot it, it's dead now."

My eyes narrowed into slits. "And why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

He sighed and came to sit beside me. "Well, you didn't really give me a chance, did you? I tried to but every time I came up to talk to you, you would start talking to somebody else or walk off." _True_, I thought.

Closing my eyes, I patted the ground beside me, asking him to lie with me. He untied his boots and crawled under with me. Automatically he reached his arms out to me but paused as he remembered my current emotions. I took the next move and with a fair bit of difficulty, got comfortable on my side beside him, with my head resting on his chest.

"Do you forgive me?" He whispered to me.

I nodded my head. "I miss you too much to ignore you longer than this." He kissed the top of my head lovingly and I sighed into his chest.

"Get some rest, you must be exhausted." I would have answered back except I was too far gone to reply.

***PAGE BREAK***

The next two weeks had been the same as any others. We rested just as much, if more, walked the same amount of distance, if less. With just one glance at my protruding stomach, people especially Tobias, were beginning to get more eager to get back faster.

We were walking in about the middle of the day when I got a bad cramp. I gritted my teeth against it, fighting through it and eventually it just passed. We continued walking for another half hour, a few more passed in that time. We stopped for lunch and I refused to eat stuff, despite Tobias' pleads.

"Come on, Tris, you have to eat something." He tried to persuade me. I shook my head, rubbing a hand over my swollen belly. "At least just take one bite." Again I shook my head. "Why aren't you going to eat anything?" I wanted to tell him about the cramps that I had gotten for about an hour now, but I didn't want to worry him. "Tris, tell me, you can tell me anything, you know that."

I remained silent for the rest of the lunch break and didn't eat anything even after Tobias tried so hard. The cramps died down for a while but as nightfall came closer, they became sharper and more painful. I was aware of Tobias always casting glances my way but I just tried to push them away.

Eventually we stopped for dinner and I knew I couldn't continue to ignore the pains that came through my stomach every hour or so. Tobias was already seated outside and I was getting changed into one of Tobias' shirts in the tent. When I waddled out, Tobias glanced up. I indicated for him to follow me; his footsteps could be heard coming from behind me.

I stopped with my back towards him and he circled his arms around me, resting his palms against my belly. "What's wrong?"

A lone tear fell as I began to explain in barely a whisper. "I think it's time, Tobias."

If I had have been facing him and watching his face, I knew he would have been frowning. "Time for what?"

Gently, I took one of his hands in mine and dragged it down to the just below my belly button. I turned in his arms so that I was facing him and so that he could see the tears that had fallen. "I've been having these cramps for a large proportion of the day but now they're becoming more painful." As if on cue, a sharp tightening pulling feeling came in my lower abdomen. I inhaled sharply and grasped Tobias' hand and squeezed until the contraction was over.

"But you're not due for another month, are you?"

I shook my head. "Tobias, I'm scared!" I cried.

He kissed the top of my head and tightened his grip around me. "I know, but it'll all be fine. We'll get my mother and Edith and they can help." I nodded my head against his chest.

"Could you go and get them?" He kissed me on the cheek once and walked off in the direction of the smoke that billowed from the campfire.

***PAGE BREAK***

"Ok, Tris, one more, big push, ok?" I nodded; sweat matting my hair and sticking it to my forehead. My hand clutched Tobias' and as I pushed and screamed, I squeezed it harder and harder until both of our knuckles were turning white. Suddenly I didn't need to push anymore and a crying sound filled the night. I slumped back against a bunch of blankets that had been piled up behind me. I was exhausted and wanted to sleep. It was way past two in the morning but I willed for my eyes to stay open so that I could see my baby.

"It's a boy!" Edith exclaimed, turning my smile even bigger.

I turned my face to Tobias who beamed down at me. He lowered his face to mine and whispered, "I love you." As he kissed my forehead, I closed my eyes, favouring the feel of his lips on my skin.

"I love you too."

A bundle of blue blankets was handed to me and inside them was our baby boy. He was perfect and had my blonde hair and his eyes were the shade of Tobias'. I kissed my son's forehead and glanced up at Tobias again. He smiled, "So you were right." He acknowledged.

"I told you, mother's intuition." I offered him our baby and I watched as he took the small child into his arms.

"He's beautiful, Tris, just like you." He said, gazing down at him lovingly. I saw him kiss the baby's forehead just as he had done to mine and I watched as he pulled away to stare at our son some more.

"He has your eyes." I told him, as from the corner of my eye, I saw Evelyn and Edith leave to give us some privacy.

"Mmm and your hair." I nodded, feeling my eyelids begin to droop closed. The same thoughts just continued to run through my head: _I'm so tired, so very tired, very, very tired, so tired_.

"Tris," I heard Tobias' voice somewhere beside me. I was already almost too far gone to care where it came from. "You should get some sleep." I nodded, ready to go to sleep until I thought about how I couldn't leave the baby. I shuffled up against the blankets, grunting a little at the pain that still hung around. "Tris, Tris, what are you doing?"

"The baby…" I mumbled sleepily.

He sighed. "Tris, I'll be right here with him. We'll be right here when you wake up, I promise." I nodded again, trying to dislodge a blanket from behind me to spread it over myself. With the baby in one arm, Tobias helped with the other and soon the blanket was over me comfortably.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

When I woke up, it felt long past midday. Tobias or the baby weren't beside me. I shifted, trying to sit up, the pain was mild and everything seemed to hurt and I still felt exhausted. I wanted to get up and pee, I wanted to get up to see my baby, I just wanted my baby in my arms. I heard a soft crying outside of our tent which made me gasp.

I struggled to get into a sitting position, gasping at all the pain I felt in my back and legs. I glanced down at my stomach which was flatter than before but looked like I was still pregnant. Footsteps could be heard coming in this direction, with the sound of somebody mumbling, "Shh…" to a crying baby. Tobias.

He appeared in front of me, my baby boy in his arms. His face instantly turned worried at the sight of my face which must have been expressing the pain that I was in. "Tris, what's wrong?"

I held my arms out for my baby and Tobias gently placed him in them. "I'm just sore." He must have seen my whole face change when I locked eyes on the small child in my arms because he came to sit beside me, curling his arm around my shoulders and kissing my temple.

"I think he's hungry." I glanced up startled. This was new, I had never done this before, how do I do it? He brushed a hand across my cheek, smiling softly. "Don't worry, Edith and my mother are coming here to explain to you."

As if on cue, two women entered our tent. "So, it's time then?" Evelyn asked her son. He only nodded his head. Tobias and Evelyn exchanged positions so that Evelyn was now sitting in front of me. She grabbed another blanket which was behind me and threw it over one of my shoulders and chest, hiding the baby and my chest from view. I learnt how to nurse and burp my baby and soon, I knew almost everything on how to take care of my child.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" Edith asked Tobias and I as the baby settled in my arms.

We glanced at each and shook our heads. "I like Mason." I told him quietly, gazing down again at my son. He nodded and I asked a question that I hoped the answer would be yes for. "Could he have your surname, Eaton?"

A smile broke out on his face. "Mason Eaton," He said, trying it out on his tongue, me following. "Yes, I like that. So, is that our little boy's name?" I nodded. "Mason." Tobias said to his mother and Edith who smiled broadly.

***PAGE BREAK***

"When are we moving again?" I asked Tobias as we sat quietly in our tent, just us and Mason.

"We're staying here for a day or two, however long you need. You've just had a baby and I know you're sore and you need to rest."

"Hmm, ok." Was all I said, slipping into a lying down position beside my son and Tobias. I wanted to continue walking, to get home as fast as we could, but I knew I wouldn't be able move far right now. "Can we start again tomorrow?"

He glanced down at me as I yawned, a frown pulling the corners of his lips down. "Are you sure? Isn't that a little soon?"

I shrugged softly, casting my gaze to the small baby boy in his arms who was asleep. "Maybe, but—" I sighed, Tobias' eyes following my gaze. He touched a finger lightly to our son's forehead. "I'm not thinking of myself."

He smiled softly. "No," he agreed. "You never are." With the same hand he had used to touch our baby, Tobias reached down to me, brushing his fingers along my cheek. I allowed my eyes to flutter closed and felt my breathing to begin to slow, feeling the longing for sleep to pull me under.

It had only felt like a couple of minutes that I had been asleep for when I heard Mason's crying. My eyes flew open at the sound, fear seeping in. Why was he crying? What was wrong?

"Shh…" I heard Tobias' voice murmur softly. I glanced up, watching as Tobias' strong arms rocked the crying child gently in his arms.

"Tobias…" I mumbled groggily.

His eyes snapped to me and then back to the child. "I'm sorry, I think he needs to be changed—I can do it, you go back to sleep."

"No, no," I began, pushing myself into a sitting position, gasping at the pain that throbbed in my stomach and down my legs. "I can do it," I said through gritted teeth.

He rested his palm on my shoulder, pressing me down gently. "Tris, let yourself rest, you need it." Reluctantly I slithered back under the blanket with my eyes never leaving Mason and Tobias. Eventually he returned with Mason once again asleep in his arms. Once again I scrambled up into a sitting position beside Tobias, pushing through the pain and held my arms out. The boy beside me gently placed the small baby boy into my arms.

I sighed happily, my eyes filling with tears at the sight of my own son, just like the very first time I had held him. "Oh, Tobias," I whispered softly, allowing the tears to spill over onto my cheeks. "I can't believe that our little Mason is with us right now." My eyes trailed up to Tobias' dark blue eyes, then back down to his lips. "I love you."

He notices my gaze on his pink lips, closing the distance between us until our foreheads are touching. "I love you too." His mouth touched mine, expressing just how much he loved me. My stomach growled as if on cue and I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten. Tobias chuckled, pulling back to look me in the eyes. "Hungry?"

I nodded shyly. "Alright," he said, standing up into a crouch and placing a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I'll see what I can do." I watched as he slipped out of the tent before focusing back on my baby.

Softly I began to sing to him, the words rolling off my tongue. _Hush little baby, don't you cry. Go to sleep-y, little baby. When you wake you shall have all of the pretty little horses. Blacks and bays, dapple greys, coach and six white horses. Hush-a-bye, go to sleep-y, little baby_.

The sound of someone's feet shuffling at the entrance had me glancing up quickly. Tobias stood in front of me, a peach and a can of peas in his hand, smirking. "I didn't know you could sing like that."

I had the baby asleep in my arms, rocking him gently, when I replied, "I don't sing that well."

He chuckled under his breath, smiling softly. "You do actually. You have a beautiful voice."

I smiled tiredly up at him. Sitting beside me, he exchanged Mason for the can of peas with a fork sticking up in it. "Thank you." I whispered and took a mouthful of the vegetables. As I chewed, I rested my head on Tobias' shoulder. He turned his head and buried his face into my hair, his eyes sliding closed and his breath coming out in a deep, tired sigh. I pull back from him and look at his face closely. I run my thumb underneath his eyes where dark circles and bags were. "When was the last time you slept?"

He shrugged, peering down at me, his dark blue eyes alight. "I'm don't know but I don't mind staying up with Mason." At that moment I had only just finished the can of peas and I was taking my baby back into my arms.

"Get some sleep, Tobias." I gently instructed, getting comfortable.

"Tris…" he began, beginning to protest.

"Tobias." I gave him a long glance, never blinking until he finally obliged. He slid down beside me, wrapping an arm gently around my waist and allowing his eyes to flutter closed.

***PAGE BREAK***

The baby began crying in my arms, waking me out of my stupor sleep, my head snapping up from where it had been resting on top of Tobias'. Tobias was still asleep although he stirred at the sound of our baby's cries. His arm tightened around me and I gasped at the pain it brought. I wriggled out of his embrace, gritting my teeth at the discomfort that wound around my body. With difficulty I got to my feet and stumbled outside, shocked to see that the sun was already setting.

Everything in my body ached, my stomach; legs; chest. Mason continued to cry in my arms, despite the rocking motion I did.

"What's wrong?" I whispered to my baby. "Hmm? Are you hungry?" Outside Tobias and I's tent and offered my chest to my son. He turned his face away, crying harder. "Shh, Mason, it's ok." I pulled away his blanket and peered down his nappy although it was clean. I began to walk away from the camp site, jiggling my baby to and fro to help the child sleep.

Once I was a little way out from the safety of the tents, I began to notice just how cold it was without the warmth that radiated off Tobias. Shivering under the light clothes I had on, I decided to tread back, now that Mason had begun to settle down finally, the occasional whimper passing his chubby lips.

"Shh…" I murmured, brushing my lips against the soft skin of his forehead. Tobias stood barefoot outside out tent, his hair dishevelled and his eyes looking sleepy. "Hey," I mumbled.

"Hey," he whispered back, wrapping his arms around the both of us, Mason between us. "Where did you go?" He asked concerned, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Just for a walk, Mason couldn't sleep." I answered, brushing off his concern, curling his arm around me. "Why don't you go back to bed, I'm just going to stay out here for a little longer."

"Actually," Tobias said, stepping away from me and twisting his fingers in front of his body, looking nervous. I frowned, placing a hand lightly upon his clasped ones, the other arm still supporting my baby firmly. "Can you please come back into the tent; we need to talk about something."

So I followed him, rocking my baby back and forth.

"Tris," he began, once I was sitting under the blanket with Mason in my arms and Tobias was kneeling in front of me. "When I first called your name, down at the net after you were the first to jump, I knew you were strong but underneath all that, I knew who you were. You barely ever think of yourself, whatever you do is for the cause of someone else. Which is one of the many traits I fell in love with. You say you're not beautiful or pretty but you are, you are to me. I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on and you are an amazing mother."

"Each month during your pregnancy, I had the honour of watching little Mason grow, watched your stomach grow and experienced the whole thing with you, I'm so grateful that I had that opportunity. He took a deep breath. "Which is why, Beatrice Prior, I am asking if you will make me even happier than I am and marry me?"

I gasped, a free hand flying to cover my gaping mouth. Typical, I was crying again, nodding my head passionately, whispering yes over and over again. A big toothy grin spread across his face and the next thing I knew his lips were pressing firmly against mine. He pulled a ring out of his pocket, whispering into my ear, "I've kept this for the past 5 or so months that we've been walking, waiting for the right moment. None have really come up but I think now is a good time." He slipped it onto my finger, the ring glowing brightly against my skin.

It was simple with just a blue lapis encrusted on the top and the band silver, my favourite colour in jewellery. _4 + 6_ was engraved on the underside. I smiled at him through my tears, not wanting to ever forget this moment.

I patted the space beside me and watched as he crawled beside me, his arms gathering me up and holding me close to his body. "I love you," I murmured, kissing his cheek softly.

He smiled, snuggling his face into my hair. "I love you too."


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

The tents were being folded down and bags were being stuffed with all of our belongings. I was standing on the sidelines watching, Mason in my arms, as everyone was packing away everything so that we could continue walking again.

We set off in the early morning after we had eaten and I had fed Mason. Tobias and I hadn't mentioned to anyone about the night before, the night Tobias had proposed to me, we intended to later but for now we wanted to keep it between us.

We had been walking for about an hour when Mason started to cry again. Tobias glanced at me, watching as I bounced him around, trying to soothe him.

"Is he hungry?" Tobias beside me suggested, shifting one of the bags onto his other shoulder.

I shrugged, offering my chest to my baby. He seemed to be as he latched on greedily. Tobias chuckled and whispered. "He's going to grow up big and strong just like his mother."

My eyes widened as my gaze snapped to him. "You mean like his father." I corrected. He shook his head but was cut off by the shout from someone up ahead. We both turned our eyes towards the front of the group.

"Guys!" Thom called out and waved us forward with his hand. Tobias glanced at me and I nodded for him to go ahead. I stayed behind, walking as quickly as I could but careful so as not to bump Mason around, whom was finally calm.

Commotion was exploding a few metres away; I saw Tobias get angry and watched as he shoved Thom away as he tried to touch Tobias on the shoulder and as several other people held back his arms to prevent him from committing any other conflict. I watched as the boy I loved stormed off and sat quickly in the dust, his head in his hands. My forehead creased as I stepped into the crowd. My eyes automatically dropped to Evelyn who was lying in the dusty ground, her head in Edith's lap, her breaths shallow.

"What happened?" Thom just shook his head at me sadly and nodded his head towards Tobias. I nodded silently back and approached him. "Tobias?" I whispered.

He raised his head from his hands and patted the spot beside him for me to sit down. I obeyed him and sunk into his embrace as he wrapped an arm around my waist and held me tightly. "Oh, Tris…" he whispered into my hair, gazing down at our son.

"What happened, Tobias?"

"They, _I_ think that my mother had a heart attack." I gasped. "She told me the other day, that she had been getting tight pains in her chest and had been short of air, but both of us just passed it off as tiredness from delivering Mason and from all of the walking we had been doing. But obviously it wasn't." He had begun to shake against me, his shoulders hunched.

"Oh, Tobias… I'm so sorry." I placed a hand under his chin, attempting to bring his gaze to me. "Hey, hey, look at me." He cast his dark blue eyes onto mine, smiling sadly at me. "I love you, you know that, right?"

He nuzzled into the crook of my neck, kissing the skin lightly there. "Yes, I do and I love you too. You always seem to know how to make me feel better."

I smiled softly. "Your mother will be alright, Tobias." He pulled away to peer into my eyes and I selfishly wished he hadn't, I just wanted to stay like that for the rest of the day; with our son in either one of our arms and Tobias nuzzled up to me. "I'll see about staying the night here." He nodded but didn't look satisfied. "Tobias?" I asked.

"I just want to keep moving so that we can get Mason home as soon as possible."

I placed a hand on top of Tobias', keeping our son firmly in the crook of my other arm. "I know and we will, we just have to be a little patient."

He nodded and kissed me, softly but passionately. I pulled away, kissing him lightly again before standing up. "Wait," he said and I turned back around. "I'll take of Mason while you're gone." Smiling, I nodded and handed him our baby and watched for a second as he kissed our son's forehead before wandering back towards Thom and Edith.

***PAGE BREAK***

"Tobias?" I whispered in the darkness while feeding Mason.

He lay beside me, a hand resting on my thigh. "Mm?" he mumbled sleepily.

"Are you afraid of dying?" I asked him quietly.

He sat up beside me, forcing me to look at him even though I couldn't really see a thing in the blackness of the night. "What's this about?" he murmured.

I shrugged, "Just the events of today got me thinking; thinking about what the future holds."

He was silent for a moment, thinking I suspected. "Well, in a way yes, but I suspect that everyone is afraid of death in some way. However, what I am mostly scared about is leaving you and little Mason on your own. You both are my heart, life and soul; without you I would probably welcome death if it came at me but now I wouldn't."

I smiled and whispered the three words we often repeated to each other, "I love you." Tobias offered to stay up for the first watch; he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. Evelyn was in a shaky yet stable condition at the moment and they weren't sure when we would begin walking again. I could see that all of this bothered him but whatever words of comfort I said to him, he wouldn't accept them. So I slipped under the covers beside my fiancé and son and fell into a restless sleep.

It had only felt like a minute that my eyes had slipped closed when there was a ruckus outside of our tent and then Thom calling out for Tobias and something about his mother.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

His head was in his hands when I wandered out of the tent in search of Tobias. He sat a distance away, alone in the chilly night air. I passed Mason to Edith and returned back with a blanket and headed towards Tobias.

"You must be cold," I whispered as I came to a stop behind him. He glanced up at me; he wasn't crying but his eyes were red and their normal glow was gone. He opened his arms out towards me and I settled the blanket around both of our shoulders and positioned myself beside him. I kissed just under his jaw and felt him shiver against me.

"Where's Mason?" he asked me quietly, his eyes set on something far, far away into the distance.

"Edith," was all I said to reply but he nodded. "What happened?" I asked, my eyes tracing over every detail of his face. He looked tired with dark circles circling under his eyes and a frown set on his face.

His eyes fluttered closed and I began to brush his hair away from his face. "She died." Was all he had to say before my arms had wrapped securely around him, drawing him close.

"Tobias…" I began but he shook his head to cut me off.

"No, don't say sorry… just, don't…"

I nodded, kissing behind his ear. "I won't." We sat like that for a few more minutes in silence, content just with each other's presence. "What's going to happen now?" I questioned him finally.

He opened his eyes, his dark blue eyes intense on my own. "A burial will be held tomorrow and then it's up to me."

"And what do you want to do?"

"Keep moving," he responded. Of course, I thought. That was typical Tobias style.

"Tobias…" I began again but he cut me off as usual but this time stood, offering his hand to me. I allowed my fingers to slip against his.

"Come on," he whispered. "Let's get you back to bed." I began to protest but of course he just pulled me along anyway.

***PAGE BREAK***

"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" I asked Tobias over breakfast. He had Mason sleeping in his arms and hadn't touched any of the food that had been passed around.

"Yes, of course I did." He lied.

I narrowed my eyes at him, gazing at him through slits. "I thought we agreed to have no more lies between each other. I know you left part way through the night and didn't return for hours after that."

Once again a tin passed us without him touching it. I wanted to chastise him but held off as he sighed and began to explain. "I just went for a walk to clear my head a little, all right?" he snapped.

He must have seen something in my expression for he turned his head away, regret changing his whole facial features; but he never apologised.

We were on the move once again because of Tobias' commands; this time he kept to the front of the group, away from me most of the time. Occasionally he would come and swap the bags for our son but as soon as Mason was safely in his arms, he would hurry back up to the front beside Thom and Edith.

Dinner came past and I sat alone with Mason, Tobias inside our tent. He inclined his head towards me as he emerged and indicated for me to follow him. Edith held out her arms for our son and gently I placed him into them, following after the boy I loved.

He stood with his back to me and I couldn't help but have a sudden flash of memory; when I had been standing like that, just before I had given birth to Mason. Except this time the roles were switched and we were no longer expecting a baby.

Tobias' arms were crossed across his chest and his shoulders were hunched as if in defeat. I craved to wrap my arms around his tense body, to feel him caress me back. I craved for him to open up to me, to confess all of his emotions to me. But I did none of those actions, I stood helplessly behind him, caught between emotions; my heart wanting to go towards him but my brain telling me to give him his space and stay back.

"Tobias?" was all I allowed myself to do; whisper his name on an exhale of my breath. At the sound of my voice, his shoulders started to shake with built up feelings and his breathing was ragged. Now I was glad I had left Mason with Edith; he didn't need to see his father like this, only I did so I could comfort him to the best of my abilities.

Taking a step forward, my arms wound around him and held him close to me. His warmth radiated off him, mixing with mine. He turned in his arms and buried his face into the crook of my neck, letting the tears flow. My hands came up to tangle in his silky, dark brown hair. After a few minutes of silence, Tobias pulled back and stared at me, his dark blue eyes searching my face.

"I love you, Tris, I don't know what I would do if I hadn't met you." He said while his hands came up to cradle my face between his palms. He sniffed and I wiped a stray tear off of his cheek. He brought his face to mine, leaning his forehead against mine. His eyes slid shut and he stood there, breathing in time with me. I placed my hands against Tobias' chest, feeling his heart beat rhythmically under my fingers.

Tilting my head up to meet his lips, I murmured, "I love you too," against him.

"I'm sorry." He said after a few moments of silence. His eyes were now open, gazing at me. I pulled away from him but continued to have my hands on his chest and content to still have his arms locked around my waist. "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier and for pushing you away today—I just needed some time to myself, some time to think…"

I silenced him with a press of my lips to his. "I understand, Tobias. I don't mind." I told him when we finally pulled away.

"Thank you." Was all he said before we wandered back to the camp site. Without a word to anyone and without a glance towards anyone else; Tobias and I slipped into our tent, just the two of us. At first we sat on our knees in front of each other, just gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. Both of us leaned forward and captured each other's lips with our own and soon I was being lowered onto my back with Tobias lying over me. He supported himself against his elbows, so as not to crush me under his weight. Our bodies lined and touched in every way, no space to be seen, and no breath of air to pass between of us.

Our lips moved in sync with each other's and our hands travelled over our lover's bodies. Mine wove into the fine, silky strands of his hair and his mapped over my skin, hips and torso. My fingers fumbled as they tried to unclasp the buttons of his shirt. I was at the third one when he sat up and shrugged the shirt off himself. No matter how many times I had seen his chiselled chest naked, I still was amazed by his beauty and each time I wondered how this guy was mine and only mine.

His lips moved along my jaw, down my neck and across my collarbone as he effortlessly pulled my top off. All of our clothes were suddenly gone and discarded around the tent. Now we lay side by side, wrapped in blankets and drinking each other in by our gazes.

"You're so beautiful." Tobias whispered in the darkness. I didn't know if he could see me very well in the darkness of the night when I blushed; but my protests would have given me away because he was quick to jump in and assure me. "You really are, Tris; one of the many traits that I love about you."

"Only one?" I teased, except he didn't take my joke as a joke.

"One of many," he replied and then started listing them off. "You're brave and strong, incredible, smart…" It sounded like he could have kept going if it wasn't for the kiss I gave him to cut him off.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

They, Edith and the rest of the people at the front of the group, say that we're drawing closer to the gate. I don't think Tobias and I can express our relief enough. Tobias and I walked side by side in silence, something that happened easily for us. I glanced down at the sleeping bundle in my arms and then brought my gaze up to look at Tobias.

"Do you want to hold Mason for a little while?" I asked him, offering my arms towards him. He handed me the bags full of our belongings and rocked Mason in the crook of his elbow.

"He's grown so big already, Tris." Tobias remarked, smiling down at me. I nodded, feeling tears spring to my eyes. It had only been about a week since he had been born and already I felt like my son was growing too fast. The boy beside me chuckled and supporting Mason with one arm, he looped his other around me, pulling me close as we walked behind the rest of the group. "Aw, Tris, it's ok. It's a good thing."

I nodded against him. "I know but it's too fast."

A shout from up ahead brought our conversation to a stop and drew our attention to the rest of the group that were a few metres ahead. Tobias let his arm drop from around me but I clutched his hand in mine tightly. He looked down at our joined hands and then back up at my face, reading my expression which must have been a mixture of relief but a little bit of fear. He smiled and squeezed my hand while we continued to travel towards the group.

As we drew closer to the group, they were pointing to something off into the distance. I peered past them and saw the old, familiar rusty gate that led into the old factions that I had grown up in. I could have slumped to the ground with relief at that moment. There was only about another one hundred metres until we were back in the safety of our old home.

Hand in hand, Tobias and I followed the rest of the group towards home.

***PAGE BREAK***

As soon as I stepped foot into Abnegation, my mind was whirling with all of the possibilities that I could have be doing, now that I was back in civilisation. A hot shower seemed like the best idea or maybe just taking a nap in an actual bed.

The bags were dumped in the kitchen and Mason was gently placed in his crib for the first time. I stared contently at the small bundle that was fast asleep in the crib. Strong, warm arms wrapped around my waist from behind and I leaned back into them.

"He looks so peaceful." I murmured to Tobias as his lips brushed the spot just behind my ear, causing me to shiver. "I don't think I'll be able to leave this room to sleep in another… I've grown so used to sleeping with him beside me."

Once we had gotten back to Abnegation, Tobias and I had slipped away from everyone, avoiding anyone who might welcome us back, to go back to Tobias' old house where we could get a decent sleep.

Tobias' voice brought me back to the present. "We could bring the crib into our room, place it beside the bed." My face lit up at this idea and Tobias chuckled. I gently scooped Mason up into my arms, careful so as not to wake him up and watched as Tobias carried the crib to our room.

Once Mason was once again settled in his cot beside our bed, Tobias headed off to get changed. I stood by the crib and watched as he wandered in to the ensuite and shut the door. He caught my eye at the last minute and offered a small smile to me. I tried for one back but it was only a small twitch of my lips. Something flickered in my eyes at the small attempt of a smile but he promised he would be back soon.

I slumped onto the bed, looking through the rails at my baby boy who was already beginning to grow blonde curls. I heard the shower run and then the shower door close. Glancing down at Mason who was still asleep, I quietly wandered into the bathroom after Tobias. He had his back to me so he hadn't realised I had come in. Slowly, I let my clothes fall to the ground and I stepped into the shower. Tobias whirled around, his eyes wide.

"Tris?" he asked, warily. I wrapped my arms around his torso and rested my head on his bare chest, his arms automatically wound around me, holding me tightly against him. "Just hold me." I whispered simply. "I've been beside you for the past several months, now I don't know if I can bare being away from you, not being able to see you in front of me, not being able to touch you."

"But what about Mason?" He rested his cheek against the top of my head and breathed a sigh.

"He's asleep in his crib." Was all that needed to be said. We stood like that for what seemed like hours, until we thought we should get out. Mason was still asleep in his crib when we returned to the bedroom. Collapsing onto the mattress, we curled up against each other: our legs tangled up, my head on his shoulder, tucked into the crook of his neck and his arms around me. Like that, we fell asleep.

***PAGE BREAK***

I woke to the familiar sounds of my baby's cries. When I glanced up at Tobias, I saw him already awake and staring down at me intently.

"Hey," I murmured sleepily, stifling a yawn. I heard him mumble good morning to me too as I leaned over to peer into the crib, where my crying baby lay. "Morning, Mason." I cooed and picked him up. I pressed my lips to his face before pecking him with kisses all over his face, hearing him giggle in delight. "Are you hungry, baby?" I offered him my right breast and felt him latch on and begin sucking.

Tobias placed his arm around my shoulders and pressed his lips to my temple. Gratefully, I shrank into his embrace, savouring his warmth.

Unfortunately someone had to knock on the front door at that time. With a sigh I went to get up but Tobias placed a hand on my knee. "You stay here, I'll get it."

I nodded and a few moments later, Tobias appeared in the doorway with a glint of excitement in his eyes, just as I was beginning to change Mason. "It's for you…"


End file.
